£185,000 music bursary boost for Berkshire Maestros

Help for West Berkshire children to learn how to play a musical instrument

Jane Meredith

jane.meredith@newburynews.co.uk

Contact:

01635 886637

MUSICAL opportunities provided by a new £185,000 music bursary, funded by Greenham Common Trust (GCT), have helped many West Berkshire children learn how to play an instrument.

The £185,000 grant to Berkshire Maestros last year has since provided seven- to 11-year-olds with the chance to learn to play a musical instrument, bridging a financial gap for children from families where disposable funds for non-essentials was a problem.

One grateful parent said the lessons her child received would not have been possible without the funding.

She said her family could not afford the skills of a music teacher, but now her daughter could have access to music lessons.

According to Berkshire Maestros, dozens of applicants have benefited from the new bursary, with a total of 42 West Berkshire schools since providing musical tuition.

Thanking the trust, Sam Wyne, area senior leader for Berkshire Maestros, said every school in West Berkshire had been made aware of the bursary, with many children also playing on better instruments, which were available to hire from the Maestros.

He said: “I hope that this bursary can benefit many more children in primary schools in West Berkshire.

“We cannot thank GCT enough for the impact that this is having on music making in the area.”

The trust’s chief executive, Chris Boulton, said it was pleased to hear how well the new scheme had been received.

“We are delighted that we can support talented children in our community, who might otherwise miss out on a life-changing experience,” said Mr Boulton.

The music bursary fund to the Maestros covers both tuition costs and purchasing the stock of musical instruments.